STAND. COM. REP. NO. 383

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2023

RE: H.B. No. 648

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2023

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 648 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO KUPUNA HOUSING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Temporarily expand the State Rent Supplement Program to specifically target qualified individuals who are sixty-two years of age or older and are homeless or at imminent risk of becoming homeless;

(2) Require the Hawaii Public Housing Authority to submit annual reports regarding the State Rent Supplement Program for kupuna to the Legislature; and

(3) Appropriate funds.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Executive Office of Aging, Hawaii Public Housing Authority, Rainbow Family 808, AARP Hawai‘i, Catholic Charities Hawai‘i, Maui Chamber of Commerce, and four individuals. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the State Procurement Office.

Your Committee finds that homelessness among Hawaii's kupuna is a central part of the affordable housing needs in the State. The high cost of living in the State, fixed income and complex health needs of older adults, rapidly rising rents, and declining availability of affordable housing make rental assistance for older adults a necessity. Your Committee further finds that it is critical to help the most vulnerable elders in the State access housing. Providing rent supplements to these individuals is an important part of the overall solution needed to address housing and homeless related issues in Hawaii.

Your Committee notes the concern of the State Procurement Office regarding the exemption to the Public Procurement Code under this measure, and your Committee will work with pertinent stakeholders to address this concern as this measure moves through the legislative process.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(2) Making a technical, nonsubstantive amendment for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 648, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 648, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Housing,

____________________________

TROY N. HASHIMOTO, Chair